Traveller mounting apparatus for use for travellers cumulated and packed in bar shape



2, 1966 SHIGEJI IWAMATSU 3,263,317

TRAVELLER MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR USE FOR TRAVELLERS CUMULATED AND PACKED IN BAR SHAPE Filed Oct. 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Shigeji lwumoisu ATTORNEY} 2, 1966 SHlGEJI IWAMATSU 3,263,317

TRAVELLER MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR USE FOR TRAVELLERS CUMULATED AND PACKED IN BAR SHAPE Filed 001.. '7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

INVENTOR ShIgeJI lwamufsu auwwm ATTORNEY) United States Patent TRAVELLER MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR USE FOR TRAVELLERS CUMULATED AND PACKED IN BAR SHAPE Shigeji Iwamatsu, Osaka, Japan, assignor to Hiroyuki Kauai, Ashiya, Japan Filed Oct. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 402,174 3 Claims. (Cl. 29-407) This invention relates to the improvement of an apparatus for mounting travellers on the rings of the spinning frame and more specifically, this invention has for an object to provide an improved and simplified type of such mounting device permitting a large number of travellers to be loaded therein simultaneously and furthermore, the mounting operation can be made very smooth, swift and eflicient by this new apparatus, without causing travellers to break or misfit during the mounting operation. The new mounting apparatus is loaded, in advance of such operation, with travellers cumulated one alongside another to be formed into a bar and packed in that state.

When mounting travellers on the rings by hand as has been commonly practised heretofore, if travellers are heavy and large such as those for spinning of coarse counts, it will require great strength to open the mouth portion of the travellers wider and conversely, if travellers are light and small such as those for spinning of fine counts, it is difficult even to hold them by hand. In either of the abovernentioned cases, great difficulty has been experienced by those in charge of this work and this is especially so, as has been well known, when yarn count being spun has to be switched or all the travellers in use have to be replaced, because the shortening of the time required for such job is seriously called for.

In order to overcome this trouble, various types of traveller mounting apparatus have been introduced, which are however not perfect mechanically and come with such defects as (l) travellers are broken or misfit often in the mounting operation, (2) travellers have to be loaded one by one by hand, rendering the loading operation extremely inconvenient and inemcient. Because of these drawbacks, the known types have not come into a wider circulation, with the result that the mounting operation relies still on human labor in an old-fashioned manner.

The invented mounting apparatus uses travellers packed cumulatively one alongside another in the shape of a bar, so that a large number of travellers may be loaded in the apparatus at one time. Among various advantages claimed for this mounting device is one that a loading axle in the apparatus is interchangeable according to the type and the designated number of traveller used and therefore, several kinds of loading axle are prepared for use on travellers of designated number within a suitable range. Another advantage is that, whereas the conventional type of mounting apparatus is adapted to force out travellers lineally and mechanically upon the outer or upper side of the rings, thereby forcing the mouth portion of the travellers to open to an extent beyond the limit only to break them and even if the travellers were guided through, after pushed out, until the mounting operation is completed, they are bound to sway this way and that and thrown out of balance since they are guided only on one side, with the result that various mounting defects such as mis-fitting, loose fitting, sticking, are caused. By the invented apparatus, a traveller is guided through embraceably until the mounting operation is completed and for that purpose, the apparatus is provided with two guide plates with cutout portion for engaging on the inner edge of the ring flange to determine the relative position at which the traveller is mounted and to serve as a pivot point for the swinging movement of the apparatus. It is further provided with a means for closely 3,263,317 Patented August 2, 1966 adjusting the gap between the said two plates to fit the thickness of various travellers so as to ensure perfect guiding motion, and on the whole, it is so designed as to follow the direction in which a traveller is to be mounted on the ring and finally it is swung inwardly by hand so as to obviate the breakage and mis-fitting of the traveller. The invented apparatus also features the improvement and simplification of the traveller mounting operation.

On the other hand, various types of stapler have been introduced in the stationery trade, whereby metallic staples are used for stapling sheets of paper together. For the purpose of accomplishing the above objective, it is naturally provided with the necessary structure and operational effect. Since the invented apparatus is designed specifically for mounting travellers on the flange of spinning rings by using travellers packed cumulatively in the shape of a bar, it is clearly different from the said stapler in objective and material employed and accordingly they are quite different from each other in construction and operational effect, as will be described hereinafter. While staples are stuck together in large number as one solid body until they are pushed out of a stapler, travellers cannot be used in such a state in the light of its specific function intended. Since travellers admit of no sticky and adhesive matters and damage, the travellers packed cumulatively in the form of a bar and loaded in the mounting apparatus must be separated one from another before they are pushed out. In order to accomplish this, the apparatus must be provided with a loading axle having a cutting means for cutting open a packing, so that it may be loaded with a large number of cumulated travellers for the desired mounting operation.

In the case of stapler, the ends of both legs of a staple are pressed against the material uniformly and then a strong pressing action is applied thereto uniformly and straight in the direction in which the material is to be stapled. If the direction of pressing motion is wrong, the object material is moved or the distance from the material is too far, the staple is bent over and mis-staple without accomplishing the objective. As a means indispensable for securing straightness in pressing motion and positional stability of the object material, such a stapler is provided, apart from the main frame in which staples are loaded, with a rigid plate member cooperable therewith and positioned opposite thereto, whereby the material is inserted between the said plate member and the main frame first and then the main frame is pused down ward for contact with the material to press the latter rigidly in position, whereupon a staple is thrust straight into the work at an extremely close range to perform the required function.

On the other hand, the invented apparatus possesses a structure quite different from that for stapling operation in the respect that a traveller is mounted on the ring flange, while forcing the mouth portion of the traveller to open wider. In actual operation, the mouth of a traveller is first engaged in the outer edge of the ring flange and then, with the traveller supported on the end of its lower leg or hook at the mouth portion as the fulcrum of its movement, it is forced to stretch out, by taking advantage of its inherent flexibility, until the free end of its upper leg or hook is expanded to the full width of the ring flange to be engaged in the inner edge thereof. As described, the invention is designed to press a traveller properly in the manner dictated by the sequence of mounting operation and the stretching out of the traveller is effected by swinging the new apparatus inwardly toward the ring while still pressing the traveller, whereby the mounting of a traveller is performed with the same degrees of accuracy and flexibility as may be achieved only by hand. Unlike the conventional stapler which is provided wih a rigid support plate as an indispensable element and designed to thrust a staple strongly and straight into the material held securely between the support plate and the main frame, the new apparatus is swung about while pressing a traveller lightly against the inner edge of the ring flange as its pivotal point.

Since the conventional traveller mounting apparatus is so designed that a traveller, supported on its one leg or hooked portion in an unstable state, is pressed hard and straight in one direction, like the conventional stapler, it gives a high incidence of traveller breakage, mis-fitting or other notable defects. Moreover, since the flange of a ring is protruding, a traveller may not be fitted thereon tightly by means of the conventional apparatus, and as an indispensable means for ensuring perfect guiding movement for the traveller throughout the sequence of mounting, the new apparatus is provided with two guide plates having a cut-out for engagement on the pivotal point of its swinging movement and also a means for closely adjusting an opening between the two plates. With the provision of those elements, such difficulties in mounting a traveller on the ring flange as above-mentioned have now been overcome.

In other words, the present invention provides a new type of traveller mounting apparatus for use for travellers cumulated and packed in the shape of a bar and the apparatus comprises a grooved main frame carrying at its front end an adjusting plate member and a first guide plate spaced one from the other, said first guide plate having a cut-out for engagement on the ring flange, a second guide plate provided in a space between the said two plate members for adjustment of the width of the space, said guide plate having a cut-out engagement on the ring flange, a guide wall provided at the front portion of the grooved main frame on its both sides and a loading axle provided interchangeably and movably inside the groove of the main frame, said axle carrying at its front end a blade for cutting open a pack of cumulated travellers. With these elements, loaded travellers are pressed toward the second guide plate and then pushed out through an opening formed between the second guide plate and the front side of the first guide plate or the front end of the loading axle, upon which the apparatus is adapted to press them against the ring flange to mount the former on the latter, while swinging about the inner edge of the flange as its pivotal point.

The nature and further advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, in which,

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the invented traveller mounting apparatus in its working position for mounting a traveller on the ring flange, in which an axle for loading travellers in the apparatus has been raised upward to permit a better view inside the apparatus.

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show respectively the sequence of traveller mounting operation, in which a traveller is pressed against the ring flange for mounting.

FIG. 3 represents a front sectional view of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 represents an enlarged plan view in section of the front portion of a main frame with various component elements, with a presser bar removed to allow a better view inside thereof.

FIG. 5 represents a cross section of the apparatus as seen in the direction indicated by arrows on the section line X X of FIG. 4.

Now, referring to an embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, numeral 1 represents a grooved main frame, 2 a first guide plate member rigidly secured on the underside of the main frame at its front end, the said first plate member having been provided with a cutout portion 3 for engaging on the flange of the ring R to determine the relative position at which a traveller is to be mounted on the ring R and to engage in the inner edge 4 of the ring flange so that, when the apparatus is swung inwardly toward the ring, the point of its engagement may serve as a pivotal point for the said movement of the apparatus. The front side 4 of said plate member and the front end 4 of the underside of the frame are arranged on the same plane and furthermore, these elements are disposed on the same plane as the front end 5 of a traveller mounting axle indicated by numeral 6, carrying a blade for cutting open a pack of travellers cumulated in the shape of a bar. The loading axle 6 comes in several kinds which may be selectively used on different types and designated numbers of travellers within a suitable range and said axle 6 is mounted at its rear end on a pivot shaft 18 of both the main frame 1 and a presser bar 15, said bar being provided swingably as shown in FIG. 3. The axle 6 is held down in position by means of a movable member 13 which engages firmly a catch means 12 protrudingly established on the axle and piercing a slit 27 provided opposite thereto on the main frame 1. Index numeral 7 indicates a rib means provided on the axle 6 in such manner as to fit the mouth portion of a traveller and 8 denotes a feeding member for travellers, mounted slidably about the axle 6 to force travellers forward. 9 denotes a spring means mounted about the axle for pressing said feeding member 8 and hence the loaded travellers forward constantly, and 10 denotese a movable fulcrum point of the spring 9. A wing-shaped plate spring 11 is provided at the upper portion of the point 10 on its both sides to press both sides of the main frame 1 constantly from its upper part. The function of this element 10 is that, when travellers are loaded in the apparatus to its full capacity, the element 10 remains at the end of the axle 6 as shown in FIG. 3 and when spring pressure is lowered, the element 10 is slid forward and its winged plate spring 11 is hooked at angular cut-outs 14 provided at several suitable places on both sides of the frame 1 so as to move the spring 9 forward and by so doing, to increase the spring pressure. This permits an increased volume of travellers to be loaded in the apparatus since the use of a comparatively short-length spring becomes possible.

Provided at the front end portion of the presser bar 15 is another plate spring 17 having its free end in contact with the axle so as to press the bar 15 upward constantly in relation to the position of the main frame 1. The front end of the presser bar 15 is bent angularly to be formed into a presser piece 16 having an arcuate edge to fit the shape of travellers.

19 denotes an adjusting base plate provided at an elongated front end of both sides of the frame 1 and it is formed in one body wtih said front end of the frame 1. A second guide plate 20 is provided in a space defined by said plate 19 and the front edge 4 of the underside of the frame 1, said second guide plate being provided with a graduated manipulating nut 22 and a set screw 21 piercing the base plate 19. A second guide plate 20 is provided in a space formed between said plate 19 and the front end of underside of the main frame 1, said guide plate 20 serving to hold in position an undulated plate spring 24 between itself and the adjusting base plate 19 by means of the set screw 21 and the manipulating nut 19. By coinciding the graduations 23 of the manipulating nut 22 and the adjusting base plate 19, the width ofan opening or path defined by the front end 5 of the loading axle 6 or the front side 4 of the first guide plate 2 and the oppositely disposed backside of the second guide plate 20 may be adjusted to the desired thickness of travellers being used for the mounting operation. Provided on the second guide plate 20 is an engaging cut-out 25 having the same shape and function as the cut-out 3 provided on the first guide plate 2. A traveller is held firmly in position between the both sides of the main frame 1 by means of pressure of the undulated plate spring 24. 26 represents a thin coni cal-shaped blade provided at the front portion of the axle 6 for cutting open the package containing travellers cumulated in the Shape of a bar, which functions to cut open the package as it is being loaded on the axle 6. Subsequent to the cutting operation, the broken package may be taken out.

27 represents an opening to accommodate the catch member 12 therein. 23 and 29 represents respectively, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, guide walls provided protrudingly from the both sides of the grooved main frame 1, with a tapering end portion to keep the movement of travellers being pushed out straight and in the right direction so as to permit the travellers to engage on the outer edge of the ring flange at the right position. The guide walls 28 and 29 project from the front side of the main frame by the distance not exceeding the thickness of a traveller, which will also serve to prevent the traveller from swaying when being pushed out.

30 represents a plate member having a S-shaped undulation at its free end when seen from one side and this member serves to remove the traveller off the ring flange. It is loosely mounted on a rigidly fixed boss 31 and engages in the opening 33 provided on the underside of the main frame 1 by means of a protuberance 32 to be held in that Working position. This plate member 39 is inserted between the outer edge of the flange and the mouth portion of the traveller from outside the flange and plied upward to disengage the traveller from the flange. This member may be folded in for ease of carrying the apparatus.

In the drawings, R denotes a ring and T a traveller.

Under such construction and arrangement as mentioned above, the presser bar is raised upward and the catch member 13 is disengaged from the main frame so as to permit the loading axle 6 to be lifted, whereupon the previously prepared package containing a large number of travellers cumulated one alongside another in the shape of a bar is pushed in on the axle 6 against the force of the spring 9. At that time, the package is cut open by the blade 26 and thereafter, the axle 6 is pushed downward to be accommodated in the groove of the main frame 1, while pressing the front end of the axle 6 by hand so as to prevent travellers loaded therein from springing out, whereupon the travellers are held firmly by the second guide plate and held in that position by hooking the catch member 12 in the hooking piece 13. Then, the opened or empty package is taken out of the apparatus.

Subsequently, by coinciding the manipulating nut 22 with a graduation 23, the opening or path through which travellers are thrust is closely adjusted to the thickness of the travellers, whereupon preparations for the mounting operation have been completed.

Regarding the actual operation of mounting a traveller on the ring flange, the apparatus is first held horizontally by the right hand as shown in FIG. 1, and then, cut-outs and 3 are engaged on the flange in such a way as to orient the first guide plate 2 and the second guide plate 20 toward the center of the ring. With the apparatus in that position, the presser bar 15 is pressed downward by a thumb, whereupon the foremost one of the travellers loaded is slid by means of the feeding piece 116 through the right and left guide walls and pushed down through the opening or path defined by the 2nd guide plate 20 and the front end 5 of the axle 6. Before passing the said front end 5, the traveller has been moved into the path formed by the front end 5 and the front side 4 of the first guide plate 2, whereby the movement of the traveller is kept straight without being swayed in any way, so that the mouth portion of the traveller can reach and engage on the outer edge of the flange as shown in FIG. 2A. Following this action, the traveller continues to be kept pressed lightly by thumb and with the cut-outs 3 and 25 hooked at the inner edge of the flange, the apparatus is swung inwardly toward the center of the ring on the point of engagement of the said cut-outs as the pivotal point of the swinging movement, as shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C, whereupon the traveller is held and guided between the first and second guide plates lightly and smoothly to be stretched over to the other side of the flange. The traveller is then mounted on the ring flange tightly, thus completing the mounting operation smoothly and quickly with the same degrees of flexibility and accuracy as may be achieved only by operation by fingers. At that time, the lower edge of the guide walls does not hamper the mounting operation in any way as the traveller should have been mounted on the ring flange when the lower edge comes in the way of operation.

As already described, with the application of the invented apparatus, various defects encountered with the conventional mounting device and various difficulties in the traveller mounting operation such as breakage, damage, mis-fitting, have been completely eliminated. Moreover, this invented apparatus serves to perform such mounting operation smoothly and quickly with improved and simplified means.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for consecutively severing the covering about a container manually moved in a substantially straight path, of a plurality of side-by-side mounted travellers as said container is being introduced into said apparatus and for dispensing the unpackaged travellers, said apparatus including a frame having a containerreceiving end; dual function means for mounting a plurality of travellers in side by-side relationship, and for providing a blade support, carried by and within said frame including an elongated member for receiving said travellers, from said opened container; coupling means for coupling said frame to a spinning frame ring; means for ejecting said travellers, one by one from said member; and means for severing the covering about a container of said travellers prior to mounting said travellers upon said member, comprising a blade having a cutting edge disposed in the path of travel of the covering of said container, said blade being mounted upon said member adjacent said end.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said blade has a conical shape in transverse section and is disposed within said frame.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said frame includes a movable wall portion and a fixed wall portion, with said coupling means carried by said movable wall, and the edge of said blade faces said movable wall portion.

References tilted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,110,691 9/1914 Hurt 29-207 2,856,676 10/1958 Furst 29-20i7 2,953,845 9/ 1960 Ramscier 29 207 3,168,750 2/1965 Gattiker 29-403 X JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner. THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR CONSECUTIVELY SEVERING THE COVERING ABOUT A CONTAINER MANUALLY MOVED IN A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT PATH, OF A PLURALITY OF SIDE-BY-SIDE MOUNTED TRAVELLERS AS SAID CONTAINER IS BEING INTRODUCED INTO SAID APPARATUS AND FOR DISPENSING THE UNPACKAGED TRAVELLERS, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING A FRAME HAVING A CONTAINERRECEIVING END; DUAL FUNCTION MEANS FOR MOUNTING A PLURALITY OF TRAVELLERS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP, AND FOR PROVIDING A BLADE SUPPORT, CARRIED BY AND WITHIN SAID FRAME INCLUDING AN ELONGATED MEMBER FOR RECEIVING SAID TRAVELLERS, FROM SAID OPENED CONTAINER; COUPLING MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID FRAME TO A SPINNING FRAME RING; MEANS FOR EJECTING SAID TRAVELLERS, ONE BY ONE FROM SAID MEMBER; AND MEANS FOR SEVERING THE COVERING ABOUT A CONTAINER OF SAID TRAVELLERS PRIOR TO MOUNTING SAID TRAVELLERS UPON SAID MEMBER, COMPRISING A BLADE HAVING A CUTTING EDGE DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE COVERING OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID BLADE BEING MOUNTED UPON SAID MEMBER ADJACENT SAID END. 